Material transfer device

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a device for transferring to a surface correcting material supplied on a tape-like carrier, provided with a housing comprising a rotatable supply reel for the carrier with the correcting material, a rotatable take-up reel for the carrier after transfer of the material, a transfer member for placing on the surface and along which the carrier with the material is guided, and displaceable means for covering the transfer member. Inadvertent transfer of material when the device is not in use is hereby prevented. The covering means is operable by an operating member which protrudes out of a wall of the housing. The covering means can comprise a displaceable slide, which can take an at least partially flexible form.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a device for transferring a layer of amaterial, such as a correction material, from a tape-like carrier to asurface.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Known devices for transferring to a surface a layer of material, forinstance correcting material, supplied on a tape-like carrier, include ahousing with a rotatable supply reel for the carrier with the materialfor transferring, a rotatable take-up reel for the carrier aftertransfer of the material, a transfer member protruding from the housingthrough a first opening for placing on the surface and along which thecarrier with the material is guided, and means for covering the transfermember, said covering means being displaceable between a first positionleaving the transfer member free and a second position covering thetransfer member. Such a device, which is referred to as a correctionroller, is known from DE-A-196 11 440.

With such a correction roller a strip of self-adhesive correctingmaterial can be applied to a surface, for instance to conceal relativelylarge writing errors. It is then possible to write normally on thecorrecting material. In the known correction roller the material isarranged on a tape-like carrier which is wound onto a supply reel andguided along the transfer member or the “foot” to a take-up reel. Thetake-up reel and supply reel are both accommodated rotatably in ahousing or frame to which the foot is also fixed, and are connected bymeans of a coupling so that a rotation of the one reel results in acorresponding rotation of the other reel. In order to compensatedifferences in the rotation speed resulting from differences in thethickness of the reels, the coupling is usually embodied as a slipcoupling. For use the correction roller is simply pressed with its footonto the surface and subsequently moved therealong, whereby thetape-like carrier with correcting material is unwound from the supplyreel as a consequence of the friction. The supply reel rotates, wherebythe take-up reel is also rotated and the carrier is wound thereon.Because there is less adhesion between the correcting material and thecarrier than between the correcting material and the surface, thecorrecting material remains behind on the surface.

In conventional correction rollers the foot always protrudes outside thehousing. This has the consequence that when the correction roller is notin use there is the danger of the correcting material unintentionallyadhering to for instance the clothing of the user. In order to obviatethis danger it had already been proposed to arrange a releasable capover the foot which can be removed prior to use. Such a cap was found inpractice not to function properly because it often got lost.

The above-identified prior art document DE-A-196 11 440 alreadydiscloses a correction roller having a covering member that is slideablyarranged in the housing of the roller. Making use of a covering memberconnected to the housing prevents this being lost, so that a goodprotection of the foot is ensured in all circumstances when thecorrection roller is not in use. This prior art covering member, whichsurrounds the foot, is cylindrical and in its rest position partiallyprotrudes from the housing through the same opening as the foot. Fordisplacing the covering member from its position of rest to itsoperative position, the user must grip and pull the end part of thecovering member. This implies an awkward movement, which cannot beperformed single-handedly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention therefore has for its object to provide a device of theabove described type which is improved from an ergonomical point ofview, and which is thus easier to handle. This is achieved according tothe invention in such a device by an operating member connected to thecovering means and protruding from a second opening arranged in a wallof the housing. Since the operating member is thus accessible through awall of the housing, the covering means are easy to operate with thesame hand that holds the roller, which allows an ergonomically favorableroller design to be obtained.

In a structurally relatively simple embodiment of the invention which isvery practical in use, the covering means comprise a slide.

Advantageously, the operating member herein protrudes out of the housingthrough a slot extending in the displacement direction of the slide,whereby an additional guiding for the slide is created and the stroke ofthe slide can be bounded by the ends of the slot.

When the operating member is fixed from the outside of the housing tothe covering means, the is dimensions thereof do not have to be limitedto the width of the slot, thereby enabling an ergonomically optimaloperating member.

In its covering position the covering slide preferably defines a supportsurface together with a part of the housing. The device can thus be putaside easily when not in use.

When the covering slide is at least partially flexible, it can be guidedin simple manner along the inner side of the wall of the housing,thereby achieving a large measure of freedom in the design and placingof the slide. The slide can herein be embodied such that in its coveringposition it at least partially encloses the transfer member, thusachieving optimum protection of the transfer member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is elucidated hereinbelow on the basis of a number ofembodiments, wherein reference is made to the annexed drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of a correctionroller according to the invention in its position of use,

FIG. 2 shows a view corresponding with FIG. 1 of this correction rollerin its rest position with extended covering slide,

FIGS. 3 and 4 show perspective views from different directions of thehousing of the roller with the covering slide accommodated therein,

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 show perspective views of the covering slide fromdifferent directions,

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the correctionroller according to the invention with partly extended covering slide,

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a half of the housing of this secondcorrection roller,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the two parts of the covering slide ofthe roller of FIGS. 8 and 9,

FIGS. 11A, 11B and 11C show in schematic longitudinal section a thirdembodiment of the correction roller according to the invention, and

FIG. 12 shows a partly broken-away perspective view of the coveringslide of the roller of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A correction roller 1 comprises a housing 2 having therein a supply reel3 and a take-up reel 4. The housing has an opening 5 and a foot 6arranged in the proximity thereof. The correcting material is arrangedon a tape-like carrier 7 which is guided from supply reel 3 along foot 6to the take-up reel. Further received in housing 2 is a covering slide 8which is slidable between a rest position (FIG. 1) in which foot 6 isleft clear and the correcting material can be transferred onto surface9, and a covering position (FIG. 2) in which the correcting material isprotected at the position of foot 6.

In the shown embodiment, supply reel 3, take-up reel 4 and foot 6 areaccommodated in an exchangeable cassette which can be placed releasablyin housing 2. Housing 2 is embodied for this purpose in two parts,wherein parts 10, 11 are mutually connected by means of a hinge 12 (FIG.3, 4) and can be closed by means of a snap member 13 and a snap edge 14co-acting therewith. Further arranged in housing 2 are rotatable shafts15, 16 onto which reels 3, 4 of the cassette can be placed. Theserotatable shafts, which are snapped or clamped onto stationary stubs 23,24, are mutually connected by means of gears 17, 18. A slip coupling(not shown) is further arranged in known manner between reels 3, 4 tocompensate for differences in rotation speed as supply reel 3 emptiesand take-up reel 4 fills up.

Covering slide 8 is guided in housing 2 by means of a number of guides19 and is accessible from the outside of housing 2 through a slot 20.For operation thereof the covering slide 8 is provided with an operatingmember in the form of a protruding button 21 which is formed integrallywith slide 8 and placed through slot 20 from the inside of housing 2. Inthe shown embodiment the slide 8 is further embodied such that togetherwith a bottom wall 41 of housing 2 it defines a support surface 22 onwhich correction roller 1 can stand when it is not in use.

Covering slide 8 here takes a flexible form along a part of its lengthso that it can be guided along the bent bottom wall of housing 2. Theoperating member can hereby be accommodated in a part or the housingwhere there is still a relatively large amount of space, in theproximity of reel 4. Slide 8 is herein provided on its underside with arelatively low central strengthening rib 25 (FIG. 6) which extends overthe part of the slide which can be extended, and has on the upper sidethree small ribs 26 close to the free end (FIGS. 5, 7).

In another embodiment of correction roller 1, the covering slide 8 isarranged solely along the bottom wall 41 of the housing (FIGS. 8, 9) andis thus considerably shorter than the slide of the foregoing embodiment.Slide 8 can also be given a sturdier form since it does not have to beflexible. Because there is relatively little space at the position inhousing 2 chosen in this embodiment, slot 20 practically coincides herewith the edge between the side wall and bottom wall 41 of housing 2. Arecess 27 is herein arranged in the side wall at the position of theslot.

Covering slide 8 is provided in this embodiment with a separateoperating member 21 which is fixed from the outside onto the slide afterthis latter has been mounted in housing 2. Slide 8 is provided for thispurpose with a protruding fixing member 29 (FIG. 10), here in the formof a double pin of ∞-shaped cross section which can be snapped into anaperture 30 of operating member 21. The fixing member has for thispurpose a peripheral groove 31 which co-acts with a correspondinglyembodied peripheral edge in aperture 30. Slide 8 otherwise takes athickened form at the position of pins 29 and has a step-like edge 32which can function simultaneously as stop to bound the displacement ofslide 8.

Because operating member 21 is arranged from the outside, it does nothave to fit through slot 20, so that the shape and dimensions thereofcan be freely chosen. An operating member which is easy to handle androbust can hereby be formed. Operating member 21 is formed in thisembodiment in the shape of a circle segment with a part which engages inrecess 27 and a part which protrudes outside the side wall of housing 2and which is guided therealong.

In a third embodiment of the correction roller according to theinvention (FIG. 11), covering slide 8 is arranged on the top side ofhousing 2. Slide 8 herein consists of a strip 33 of a resilientlyflexible material on which an operating member 21 is once again arranged(FIG. 12). The leading edge 37 of strip 33 is connected to tensioningmembers 35, for instance folded-over parts of the strip. A space 36 isleft clear between tensioning members 35 for receiving transfer member6. Slide 8 is arranged in the folded state in the space 38 between guide19 and the top wall of housing 2. Arranged on the end of tensioningmembers 35 is a stop, here in the form of a thickened portion 34, thedimensions of which are such that it does not pass through between theend edge 39 of the top wall of the housing and the end edge 40 of guide19.

When operating member 21 is now pushed forward from the non-coveringposition (FIG. 11A), slide 8 is first carried outward in folded state(FIG. 11B). However, as soon as thickened portion 34 reaches the endedges 39, 40 of the housing and the guide, it will be stopped, wherebytensioning members 35 cannot be pushed further outward. With a continuedmovement of operating member 21 the tensioning members 35, and therewiththe leading edge 37 of slide 8, will therefore perform a pivotingmovement round the edge 40 of guide 19, wherein strip 33 will assume abulging position and will almost completely enclose transfer member 6which will herein protrude into space 36.

In contrast to the foregoing embodiments, supply reel 3 and take-up reel4 are otherwise arranged in this embodiment not in a cassette but inhousing 2 itself.

Although the invention is elucidated above with reference to acorrection roller, it is not of course limited thereto. Instead of acorrecting material other materials, like e.g. a fluorescent markingmaterial or a glue could also be applied to the tape-like carrier.Furthermore, the operating member need not necessarily be arranged for asliding movement, but could also be embodied as a rotary knob driving agear, which would then mesh with a rack connected to the slide. Theother shown and described features of the invention can also be variedin many ways without falling outside the scope of the invention. Thescope of the invention is therefore defined solely by the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for transferring to a surface a layer ofmaterial supplied on a tape carrier, comprising: a) a housing, b) arotatable supply reel for the carrier with the material fortransferring, wherein the supply reel is within the housing and definesa supply side of the tape carrier, c) a rotatable take-up reel for thecarrier after transfer of the material, wherein the take-up reel iswithin the housing and defines a take-up side of the tape carrier, d) atransfer member protruding from the housing through a first opening forplacing material on the surface at a transfer point and along which thecarrier with the material is guided, wherein the transfer member has abottom upon which rests the supply side of the tape carrier and a topupon which the take-up side of the tape carrier rests with transfermember sides therebetween, e) means for covering the transfer member,said means for covering comprised of a covering slide being displaceableby translation between a first position leaving the transfer memberunprotected and a second position wherein the slide protrudes from thehousing to cover the bottom of the transfer member while leaving thetransfer member sides exposed, and f) an operating member connected tothe covering slide and protruding from a second opening arranged in awall of the housing.
 2. The material transfer device as claimed in claim1, wherein the operating member protrudes out of the housing through aslot extending in the displacement direction of the covering slide. 3.The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein theoperating member is fixed from the outside of the housing to thecovering slide.
 4. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1,wherein in its second position the covering slide defines a supportsurface of the housing.
 5. The material transfer device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the covering slide is at least partially flexible. 6.The material transfer device as claimed in claim 5, wherein in itssecond position the covering slide at least partially encloses thetransfer member.
 7. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 1,wherein the operating member protrudes out of the housing through a slotextending in the displacement direction of the covering slide.
 8. Thematerial transfer device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operatingmember is fixed from the outside of the housing to the covering slide.9. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 2, wherein theoperating member is fixed from the outside of the housing to thecovering slide.
 10. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 2,wherein in its second position the covering slide defines a supportsurface of the housing.
 11. The material transfer device as claimed inclaim 3, wherein in its second position the covering slide defines asupport surface of the housing.
 12. The material transfer device asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the covering slide is at least partiallyflexible.
 13. The material transfer device as claimed in claim 3,wherein the covering slide is at least partially flexible.
 14. Thematerial transfer device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coveringslide is at least partially flexible.
 15. The material transfer deviceas claimed in claim 12, wherein in its second position the coveringslide at least partially encloses the transfer member.
 16. The materialtransfer device as claimed in claim 13, wherein in its second positionthe covering slide at least partially encloses the transfer member. 17.The material transfer device as claimed in claim 14, wherein in itssecond position the covering slide at least partially encloses thetransfer member.
 18. The material transfer device according to claim 1wherein the material is correction tape.
 19. The material transferdevice according to claim 1 wherein in the second position the coveringslide also covers the top of the transfer member.